After 10 long years of construction delays and setbacks, the Obama Presidential Center is finally nearing completion in Chicago's historic Jackson Park. The $800 million project has been a decade in the making, two years longer than former President Barack Obama's time in office.
The center will comprise four main buildings: a museum tower, an auditorium, a public library branch, and an athletic facility. The museum tower is the most striking feature of the campus, standing at 225 feet tall and clad in light-colored New Hampshire granite. The building's design was influenced by architect Billie Tsien, who aimed to create a sense of ascendance and moving through time.
Despite its height, the tower has only four stories because exhibition spaces have very high ceilings. Artist Julie Mehretu's 83-by-25-foot stained-glass window, called Uprising of the Sun, on the building's north side promises to colorfully illuminate the ride on a nearby bank of escalators.
However, the tower's lack of windows has sparked criticism from some quarters. "Well, there's a reason — a practical one — which is a museum does not want any natural light in it," Tsien said. But why put that function in a tower instead of incorporating it into some of the lower buildings beneath Van Valkenburgh's parkland?
Tsien explained that the tower's height helps the museum tell Obama's story, creating a sense of ascendance and moving through time. The building will feature the words from Obama's 2015 speech honoring Civil Rights marchers meeting violence on its exterior walls.
The campus also includes an active park space designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, featuring winding paths, green areas, and play areas. The hilly topography rises high enough to cover the roof of the center's auditorium, public library, and a partially-sunken 437-car garage.
As construction nears completion, visitors will be able to explore the museum tower, auditorium, public library branch, athletic facility, and Van Valkenburgh-designed parkland. But with its hefty price tag of $620 million, is it worth the cost? Only time will tell as the Obama Presidential Center prepares to open next spring.
The center will comprise four main buildings: a museum tower, an auditorium, a public library branch, and an athletic facility. The museum tower is the most striking feature of the campus, standing at 225 feet tall and clad in light-colored New Hampshire granite. The building's design was influenced by architect Billie Tsien, who aimed to create a sense of ascendance and moving through time.
Despite its height, the tower has only four stories because exhibition spaces have very high ceilings. Artist Julie Mehretu's 83-by-25-foot stained-glass window, called Uprising of the Sun, on the building's north side promises to colorfully illuminate the ride on a nearby bank of escalators.
However, the tower's lack of windows has sparked criticism from some quarters. "Well, there's a reason — a practical one — which is a museum does not want any natural light in it," Tsien said. But why put that function in a tower instead of incorporating it into some of the lower buildings beneath Van Valkenburgh's parkland?
Tsien explained that the tower's height helps the museum tell Obama's story, creating a sense of ascendance and moving through time. The building will feature the words from Obama's 2015 speech honoring Civil Rights marchers meeting violence on its exterior walls.
The campus also includes an active park space designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, featuring winding paths, green areas, and play areas. The hilly topography rises high enough to cover the roof of the center's auditorium, public library, and a partially-sunken 437-car garage.
As construction nears completion, visitors will be able to explore the museum tower, auditorium, public library branch, athletic facility, and Van Valkenburgh-designed parkland. But with its hefty price tag of $620 million, is it worth the cost? Only time will tell as the Obama Presidential Center prepares to open next spring.
The Obama Presidential Center is finally happening after all those delays! I mean, can you even imagine a Chicago summer without it? 
But seriously, that stained-glass window by Julie Mehretu's is gonna be stunning - I'm low-key obsessed with the way it's gonna light up the whole campus. On a more practical note, though, who thought putting a museum in a tower with zero windows was a good idea? 
Like, wouldn't that just, like, suck all the soul out of the exhibit spaces?! But hey, at least Billie Tsien's design is trying to tell some kind of story about ascension and time... fingers crossed it actually comes together in a cool way! 
I mean, think about it - 10 years of delays and setbacks, but still, they managed to bring this beautiful project to life. It's like that old saying goes... don't get too hung up on the journey, focus on the destination! The end result is what truly matters.
can't believe this thing has been stuck in construction limbo for 10 years... like, what's the hold up on that? It's not like we're talking about a multi-million dollar cake here ($800 million is wild) ...and yeah, I get it, museums don't need natural light... but come on, put some windows in the tower already! 
at least they included some pretty stained glass artwork... Julie Mehretu's stuff looks fire 
. And hey, the park space sounds cool... can't wait to see what Van Valkenburgh did there... and who knows, maybe it'll be worth the cost when it opens next spring... but $620 million is a LOT of clams 
. It's all about perspective, right? The stained glass window is gonna be lit 
and that park space sounds amazing 
, but if I had my way, I'd put more of that budget into actual community programs rather than fancy buildings.
I'm genuinely hyped for this project! It's crazy how far it's come after all those delays 
. The campus is going to be so beautiful, especially the park space designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates 
It's going to be super interesting to see how it all comes together and whether or not it's worth the $620 million price tag 
. Bring on spring 2025 and let's get this place open! 
Can you imagine what could've been done with that kind of cash to actually help people in Chicago instead of just building a fancy center? 
the campus looks nice and all but that tower thingy is kinda weird yeah it makes sense design wise or whatever but 620 million for it alone?? that's like a small country 
idk maybe ppl will love the museum part and stuff but i think we can find better ways to spend money than that tbh
i mean, artist julie mehretu's stained glass window is gonna look straight fire 
, & the park space designed by michael van valkenburgh associates is gonna be sick 
so yeah, im good w/ this project & its price tag 
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And Julie Mehretu's stained-glass window? Mind. Blown. 
I do think the lack of windows on the tower might be a bit weird, but I guess it's all about creating that dramatic effect 
️ But overall, this center is going to be an epic spot for learning and community-building 
Can't wait to check it out when it opens next spring! 
and now they're saying only $620m?